Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823Callcott, Maria, Lady
History
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823
Callcott, Maria, Lady
Brazil -- Description and travel
It would be curious to investigate the feelings of princes on occasions
so momentous to themselves and to their people. Joam VI., passionately
fond of music, was dragged by a people, grateful for a boon granted that
very day, to a theatre built by himself, where all the music vocal and
instrumental was selected with exquisite taste, and where the piece
presented was a decided favourite.[34] Yet it may be questioned whether
there existed in his wide dominions one heart less at ease than his
own. All his feelings and prejudices were in favour of the ancient order
of things, and this day those feelings and prejudices had been obliged
to bend to the spirit of the times, to a wide-spread desire for freedom,
to every thing, in short, most contrary to the ancient system of
continental Europe.
[Note 34: Rossini's Cenerentola.]
The next day[35], there was nothing but joy in the city, the great
saloon was again crowded with persons eager to sign the oath to the
constitution, illuminations, feux de joie, and fireworks succeeded; and
at the opera, Puccito's Henrique IV. was ordered in compliment to the
King. But he was too much fatigued with the events of the last two days
to go, and when the curtain of the royal box was drawn up, the pictures
only of the king and queen appeared; but they were received with loud
acclamations, as if the royal personages themselves had been present.
[Note 35: The 27th, on which day Messrs. Thornton, Grimaldi, and
Maler, ministers from England and France, waited on His Majesty. The
different motions or interferences of the members of the diplomatic body
scarcely concern this period. There is no doubt but that they were busy.
But circumstances which they could not control, though they might
disturb, brought about the revolution of the 26th, the visible facts
alone of which I pretend to give.]
Thus was a most important revolution brought about without bloodshed,
and almost without disturbance. The junta occupied itself seriously on
the business of the constitution, and began by publishing some edicts
highly favourable to the people, and, among others, one insuring the
liberty of the press.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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